Dress form and cover therefor



June 6, 1950 D. M. DAVIS 2,510,333

DRESS FORM AND COVER THEREFQR Filed March 28, 1946 linnn ATTORNEYS Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a device to simplify the use oi dressmakers forms, and in particular relates to a novel removal cover to which the dress material may be pinned or basted.

Conventional dressmakers forms are 'of several types. For example, some form the torso portion of wireand plastic materials, or entirely of wire; and some forms are made to the individual gure by applications of plastic or thermoplastic materials. In addition, there are mechanically adjustable forms in which the torso portion is divided into sections to permit relative adjustment to conform to the body measurements of the purchaser.

It may generally be said that conventional forms are diiicult to use, particularly by the amateur dressmaker, because the materials of which the torso portions are made usually have a surface finish which does not permit4 the easy insertion of pins for the securement of the paper pattern or for the draping and securement of the dress material upon the form during the tting steps. Even such forms vin which the torso portions have a fabric or relatively soft covering are not easy to use because vthe coverings are tightly and rigidly applied to the underlying frame structure and donot readily receive a common or straight pin; and it is difficult, if not impossible, to pin the material to such a form for achieving the desired line. In the adjustable'.Y

forms which are usually covered with an adhesively secured knitted material, it is frequently necessary to separate the respective sections one from the other to expand the form to alarger size, and the gaps between said sections often times are in the precise areas where pins must be placed to secure the pattern or the like.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a removable fabric covering for a dressmakers form, which can be slipped over the torso portion-of ,the form prior to the use thereof, and which will provide a soft, contoursmoothingsurface to which the dress orA pattern material may be easily pinned.

It is another object of the invention to provide a removable fabric cover of relatively elastic material, which may be stretched over a dressmakers form to conform closely to the shape of the torso portionthereof.

It is another object of the invention to provide makers form, such cover being oil-inexpensive knit or otherwisel elastic fabric having knit bands, cuffs, or other treatment forvdeflning the Waistline, neckline, and armholes of the cover.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a cover asaforesaid, which may be primarily of a straight knit material, having suitable rib-knit portions. at. selected locations to improve the iit of the cover when applied to the form.

It is still a further object ofthe invention to provide a dressmakers form cover which may be knit or otherwise made of inexpensive material and which may be used to great advantage on any conventional or standard form.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a typical dressmakers -form provided with a cover embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective, taken from the rear, of a preferred form of cover before application to the form;

Fig. 3 is a detail in sectional elevation, showing a preferred method of aiiixingthe guiding tapes to the cover by means of removable clips; and

Fig. 4 is a secondv manner of afxing the guiding tapes by. threading through holes provided in the cover.

Referring to the drawings, I0 represents a conventional dressmakers form of` any type having a body portion simulating the` human torso. Drawn over the torso portion of said form is a removable cover Il, embodying the presentinvention. As shown in Fig. 2, the cover I l roughly simulates agarment having a waist and skirt portion, and, is preferably of knitted material so that it has .an inherent elasticity. Because of its elasticity, the cover needV not be carefully shaped or tailored, .except to clearly establish the. neckline, armholes, and. waistlne- It is considered entirely practicable toknit the cover as a seamless envelope, although separate panels of material may be stitched or otherwise Ysecured together toform thecornpleted whole, if

desired. Also, of course, separate panels may be applied to the form and secured together by buttons, slide fastener means or other conventional fastenings.

.. At the neckline and armholes, the coverl is formed with, or there are applied thereto, the respective bands or cuff-like members I3, i4, of4 a ribbed knit material which may be of heavier thread or material, or which may be especially, 'knitted or treated to provide additional elasticity. Y,

knit armhole, waistband, neckline and lower cuff treatment.

The cover is drawn on over the torso portion of the form, and as clearly appears in Fig. l, the ribbed knit portions cause the cover to fit tightly about the neck, armholes and waist of the form. The cuff portions I4 contract over and about the edges of the armhole openings, and prevent sideward shifting of the cover on the form. The elasticity of the cover causes it to assume all of the contours of the form while smoothing out the lines of the form in the event that the same is faulty or .because of mechanical misalignment has unwanted projecting or offset structures.

The respective rib-knit and cuff portions may be additionally reinforced by means of elastic or the like or may be so constructed to allow for insertions of strings or tapes for tightening to the degree necessary to make the cover firmly and smoothly fitting.

It is frequently desirable to affix guiding tapes l1 to the form to show the seam lines for shoulders, side and front and rear seams. To facilitate the positioning of such tapes, there are provided a plurality of small bound eyelets i8 to receive stapling clips or equivalent. As indicated in Fig. 3, these clips are disposed about the guide tapes, and the legs 2| of said clips enter the respective eyelets H8 to removably secure the tape to the form. Alternatively, closely spaced pairs of bound holes 22 may be substituted for the clips I9. and the tapes I1 threaded through said holes, as shown in Fig. 4. It is also apparent that small 'buttons or the like (not shown) may be affixed to the cover, to which the guide tapes may be attached, and that, if desired. the cover may merely be suitably marked to indicate the places at which the guide tapes are to be secured to the cover.

It is contemplated that there will be three eyelets at each shoulder to accommodate the shoulder seam guide tapes. At the front of the cover it is preferable to provide an eyelet at the center of the neck line, just below the bust bulge, at the waist. a few inches below the waistline, and adjacent the bottom of the cover.

At the back of the cover it is desirable to provide an eyelet I8 at the center of the neckline, midway between neck and waist, at the waist. a few inches below the waistline and at the bottom of the cover. At each side of the form, a guide tape eyelet will be provided under the armhole, atthe waistline, at about 2 inches and about 8 inches below the waist, and at the bottom of the cover. The waistline eyelets are preferably in the center of the rib-knit waistband to accommoda-te a guide tape establishing the desired Waistlinc.

The elasticity and general conformability of the cover is such that it need be manufactured in but three sizes, such as small, medium and large. The waistline ribbing preferably has a standard width of from 4 to 5 inches for all of the sizes of cover.

It is contemplated that the cover may advantageously be manufactured from a cotton kni. material, or cotton plus synthetic fibers. Such material is thin enough so that it will not materially increase the dimensions of the dressmakers form. The cover may be supplemented with additional thicknesses of material, or padding, applied by the user to accommodate growth in body dimension. thereby making it unnecessary to purchase a new form unless unusual body changes occur.

The cover makes it easy to pin the pattern or temporarily secure the dress material to the form because the cover is sufficiently elastic to be drawn away from the form to facilitate the insertion of pins or the like; and the cover material has sucient strength to support even heavy dress material without sagging. Proper drape and hang of the nished garment is assured.

The cover may be removed after use and washed or otherwise cleaned to remove soil or chalk marks or to remove lint or bres which may be left thereon from previously applied dress material.

Although the invention has been described by making a fully detailed reference to a certain presently preferred embodiment, such detail of description is to be understood in an instructive rather than a limiting sense, many changes being possible within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim:

l. In a removable cover for a dressmakers form having an envelope of stretchable material elastically conforming to the form, the combination of an elastic neckband in said cover, a variable tension exerted on the shoulder portion of said cover by said neckband, an elastic arm hole in said cover and a variable and neckband-opposing tension exerted on the shoulder portion of the cover by said arm hole to produce a form fitting tension in the shoulder portion of said cover on said form.

2. In a removable cover for a dressmakers form having an envelope of stretchable material elastically conforming to the form, the combination of an elastic neckband in said cover, an elastic arm hole in said cover and an elastic area in the waist portion of said cover; and variable tensions exerted by said elastic neck band, elastic arm hole, and elastic waist, to produce a form-fitting tension in the shoulder portion of said cover on said form.

3. In a removable cover for a dressmakers form having an envelope of stretchable material with a shoulder portion elastically conforming to the shoulder portion of the form, the combination of an elastic neckband in said cover attached adjacent to said shoulder portion so as to exert a variable tension on said shoulder portion, an arm hole in said cover, means for receiving a string encircling said arm hole, a drawstring encircling said arm hole in said means and means for fastening said drawstring so as to exert a variable and neckband-opposing tension on said shoulder portion of the cover adjacent said arm hole, whereby a form-fitting tension is produced in the shoulder portion of said cover on said form.

DOROTHY M. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 492,263 Bettingen Feb. 21, 1893 739,212 Palmenberg Sept. 15, 1903 2,128,024 Taft Aug. 23, 1938 2,312,609 Warshaw Mar. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 516.809 Great Britain Jan. 11. 1940 

